FERNANDO ALONSO has one eye on retirement having admitted that not only will McLaren be his last job in Formula One but he no longer sees winning races as the priority it once was.

For a racing driver to admit such a thing is unheard of. Their whole ethos is about winning. Otherwise, why be in the sport?

But double world champion Alonso, 33, who won the title in 2005 and 2006 while with Renault, says that as he matures, his perspective on life is changing.

He began the season shrouded in controversy after crashing during pre-season testing in Barcelona.

The exact details of what happened still have not come to light, with Alonso blaming a steering problem in the car and McLaren insisting there were no such problems.

Add to this the rumours and reports that Alonso may have fainted before crashing and the intrigue surrounding yesterday's comments here in Shanghai intensifies.

Alonso rejoined McLaren for this season in a project widely expected to be more geared up for 2016 than this term, but there was something about his demeanour here yesterday that suggested he had pinpointed a date to call it a day.

"Obviously I would like to win because we are sportsmen and we are all competitive but also, thanks to my age and thanks to the moment of your career, you start looking for other things," he said.

"I've been lucky to win championships and to win many grands prix and now, sometimes, I feel more happy and more proud of my job and my team doing the things we are doing now than winning a trophy.

"It's supposed to be the best for a sportsman but there are times when you arrive to a maturity and state of mind that has different priorities in life."

Obviously I would like to win because we are sportsmen and we are all competitive but also, thanks to my age and thanks to the moment of your career, you start looking for other things

Fernando Alonso

He did not expand on how many years he will remain in F1 after making his debut in 2001 driving for Minardi, but was certain that he would not return to a role in team management.

"After 15 or 16 or 17 years of Formula 1 – whatever it will be – it's enough," he said.

"It's probably the same example of the Ferrari time – I will close the loop, that part of my life.

"I started with a McLaren-Honda replica built by my father when I was three years old and I will finish with McLaren-Honda – but the real one in Formula One – and that will be one third of my life with great experiences, great memories, great friendships.

"But the normal life will start that day when I retire."

The comments were not befitting of a man whose sole focus should be on the McLaren project and catching the rest of the pack.